PREDICTIONS that four out of five livestock markets in Wales and England could close within 10 years will today cause further anguish for Wales's beleaguered farming industry.

The industry has been at the sharp end of change during the past 30 years and experts are not surprised the future of markets is threatened.

According to John Steele, an adviser to local authorities which own many of the market sites, the pressure for land in town centres for more housing and shops and the dominance of supermarkets which buy direct from farmers, has reduced the business of livestock markets.

Mr Steele said local authorities could raise millions of pounds by selling off market sites, while satisfying the Government's aim of utilising existing space within towns rather than greenbelt land.

Peter Woodley, a partner at commercial property consultancy Donaldson's, agreed, saying, "Clearly there is still a huge role for livestock markets but with the trend for many farmers to deal direct with the food and food retailing industry and with abattoirs, many parts of the UK are serviced by market facilities that are no longer matched with industry needs."

The Livestock Auctioneers Association said those markets coming to the end of their lease faced an uncertain future.

David Brown, the association's executive secretary, said, "In the last few years we have seen local authorities which have been offered large sums of money and sold up, but haven't replaced them.

"I can't make a prediction about how many markets will remain, but there will still be an industry, particularly as pressure to reduce travelling times for animals grows."

Before World War II there were more than 800 livestock markets across Wales and England. By the time foot-and-mouth struck in February 2001 just 180 remained, of which around 156 still operate.

In Wales, Brecon Livestock Market relocated a few years ago, and its town centre site sold to supermarket Safeway.

There is speculation Abergavenny market could also be sold for redevelopment.

Gareth Griffiths of the farm-er-owned village market of Sennybridge, near Brecon, said its market is not under threat from redevelopment.

"Markets are constantly under threat from other avenues as well, not least legislation from Europe as part of the Common Agricultural Policy reform which looks as though it will reduce livestock numbers," he said.

"Another threat comes from proposals to restrict the amount of people travelling between markets. There are plans for a 150km restriction which for us would be hard because we have customers from England and Scotland."

As well as the adverse effect on farmers, market closures would also have an economic impact on the rest of a town, due to the fall in visitors.

A threat to livestock markets will mean supermarkets will tighten their grip on farming and other smaller businesses will lose out.

Glyn Powell, former deputy president of the Farmers' Union of Wales and a sheep farmer from Sennybridge, said the power of supermarkets was never better illustrated than when Safeway purchased Brecon Livestock Market.

"A supermarket can eat the very heart out of a town," said Mr Powell. "Whereas prior to the supermarket, farmers would bring their wives in with them to the livestock market, that doesn't happen now. It just goes to show how powerful supermarkets are when they can purchase a piece of land that was the hub and focal point of Brecon."

Chairman of the National Assembly's rural affairs committee, AM Glyn Davies, who is also a farmer at Berriew, near Welshpool, said, "I think the governments in Wales and at Westminster have for some time been opposed to livestock markets and I'm sure would be glad to see the back of them.